'American Idol' on the Charts: For David Archuleta, It's Christmas in July

'GLAD' ALL OVER: Holiday albums usually don’t go to No. 1 in July. So season seven runner-up David Archuleta may have made chart history this week, as Glad Christmas Tidings, a Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra release that features the vocals of the American Idol alum, re-enters the Classical Catalog Albums chart in the top spot.

There’s a good reason for the 2011 release suddenly doing so well in the summer of 2013. One internet retailer placed the album on sale, and the discount pricing generated enough sales to prompt the album’s chart moves.The album also debuts at No. 25 on the Top Internet Albums chart and moves up 10-9 on the Christian Catalog Albums chart.

Glad Christmas Tidings gives Archuleta his fifth Billboard No. 1, lifting him out of a four-way tie with Kris Allen, Kellie Pickler and Elliott Yamin, who all have four chart-toppers to their credit. This is the 396th No. 1 for the Idol franchise and comes just one week after Phillip Phillips and Mandisa added three more chart-topping titles to that total.

Archuleta is in the second year of a Mormon mission in South America, not just taking him out of the U.S., but placing his career on hold until his return. That hasn’t stopped him from appearing on the Billboard charts. Most recently, his album No Matter How Farpeaked at No. 23 on Top Independent Albums. Last summer, his Begin. went to No. 3 on Top Internet Albums. Since making his chart debut in April 2008, Archuleta has charted in every single year. With the return of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra album, Archuleta’s chart span has expanded to five years, three months and one week.

AIRPLAY FOR IDOLS: Three Idol alums find their current singles gaining in radio airplay this week, as evidenced by their upward movement on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. Leading the way is Phillip Phillips’ “Gone, Gone, Gone,” which breaks into the top 20 with a move of 23-20. Close behind is Carrie Underwood’s “See You Again,” which makes its first appearance in the top 30 with a climb of 35-29. Also taking a healthy hike is “Without Me” by Fantasia featuring Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliott. The single jumps 70-60.

These three singles are also doing well on other charts. “Gone, Gone, Gone” breaks into the top 10 on the Rock Steaming chart, with a move of 12-10. On the Hot 100, “Gone, Gone, Gone” is now a top 30 hit, thanks to a leap of 32-26. On Adult Contemporary, “Gone” achieves a new peak position by inching up a rung from 9-8 and on the Adult Top 40 chart, “Gone” holds steady at No. 4.

“See You Again” also moves up on the Hot 100, 46-44, and holds at No. 8 on Country Airplay. On Hot Country Songs, “See You Again” is up 11-10 and on Country Digital Songs, the track spends another week at No. 13.

“Without Me” breaks into the top 10 of the R&B Songs chart, advancing 11-10. On Adult R&B, the song is headed to the top 10, with a jump of 18-13.

BITS AND PIECES: Colton Dixon’s A Messenger sees aresurgence on Top Christian Albums, ascending 31-24… For the fourth week in a row, Phillip Phillips’ The World from the Side of the Moon rebounds on The Billboard 200 album chart, rising 34-31… Mandisa’s “Overcomer” is No. 1 for the second consecutive week on both Christian Digital Songs and Christian/Gospel Digital Songs… Kelly Clarkson’s “Catch My Breath” moves back up the Adult Contemporary tally, 6-5, while the follow-up, “People Like Us,” gains new strength, climbing 26-21. The newest Clarkson single, “Tie It Up,” breaks into the top 40 of Country Airplay with a leap of 44-40.